Cubs Sign Eleventh Round Pick Michael Rucker

According to Jonathan Mayo, the Cubs signed 11th round pick RHP Michael Rucker ahead of Friday’s deadline for teams to sign players selected in last month’s draft. Rucker received an above slot bonus of $180,000 in which $80,000 counts against the Cubs signing bonus pool.

The Cubs have signed 22 players and each of the first nine picks from June’s draft.

Michael Rucker was the Friday night starter for BYU this past season. Rucker was 11-1 in 16 starts with a 2.73 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. Rucker allowed 80 hits with 31 walks and 94 strikeouts in 102 1/3 innings. Rucker finished his college career with a 17-2 record in 46 games, 22 starts, for Brigham Young University and Gonzaga with a 2.90 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. In 180 innings, Rucker gave up 158 hits with 62 walks and 158 strikeouts.

2016 Cubs First-Year Player Draft

The Cubs signing bonus pool for the first 10 rounds of this year’s draft is $2,245,100 million. If the Cubs sign a player in rounds 11-40 for more than $100,000, the excess is counted against the team’s bonus pool. If the Cubs draft a player in the first 10 rounds they are unable sign, the assigned slot value is removed from their bonus pool allotment.

If the Cubs exceed its draft bonus pool by five percent, they will pay a 75 percent tax on the overage. If the Cubs exceed its draft bonus pool by five to 10 percent, the penalty would be a 75 percent tax on the overage and the loss of next year’s first round pick. If the Cubs were to exceed its draft bonus pool by 10 to 15 percent, there would be a 100 percent tax on the overage and the front office would forfeit the team’s first and second round pick in the 2017 draft. If the Cubs were to spend more than 15 percent of its bonus pool, the penalty is a 100 percent tax on the overage and two future first-round picks.